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	Measurement of shear comes closer. The main pressure ulcer societies in Europe, North America and Japan have come together to explore how best to measure shear forces and to investigate their clinical interpretation. This is an important step towards expanding our knowledge of the aetiology of pressure ulcers. The working group has now met three times - in Aberdeen in May last year with two follow-up meetings in the United States with the most recent gathering held in San Antonio in late April. At present the group divides its actions into two separate strands - the technical issues related to shear measurement with this section benefiting from the experience of Japanese colleagues who already have functioning shear sensors. The second group will provide relevant definitions of shear forces and seek to elucidate what the role of shear is in the aetiology of pressure ulcers. Further details of the shear working group will be available in August on the European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel web-site www.epuap.org where there will be a report of the San Antonio meeting in the archives of the EPUAP Review. This report will be available in late August 2006 with the next meeting of the shear working group to be held in Berlin at the end of August. Michael Clark Editor	Keeping up to date with pressure area care Recent publications

Keep reading for: Keeping up to date with pressure area care Download this newsletter in PDF format Pressure Ulcer References This month's references are drawn from new publications on pressure ulcers published in the first few months of this year. Already MEDLINE lists 356 references on pressure ulcers from 2005 and 2006 suggesting that interest in pressure ulceration remains high. Stekelenburg A, Oomens CW, Strijkers GJ, de Graaf L, Bader DL, Nicolay K. A new MR-compatible loading device to study in vivo muscle damage development in rats due to compressive loading. Medical Engineering & Physics 2006;28(4):331-8. Sener G, Sert G, Ozer Sehirli A, Arbak S, Uslu B, Gedik N, et al. Pressure ulcer-induced oxidative organ injury is ameliorated by beta-glucan treatment in rats. International Immunopharmacology 2006;6(5):724-32. Volker HU, Rolker N, Willy C. [Interface pressure measurement in the treatment of pressure sores. Comparison with subcutaneous pressure values measured in healthy volunteers]. Anaesthesist 2006;55(2):142-7. Sanada H. [Evaluation and management of pressure ulcers in the elderly]. Nippon Ronen Igakkai Zasshi - Japanese Journal of Geriatrics 2006;43(2):137-46. Sener G, Sert G, Ozer Sehirli A, Arbak S, Gedik N, Ayanoglu-Dulger G. Melatonin protects against pressure ulcer-induced oxidative injury of the skin and remote organs in rats. Journal of Pineal Research 2006;40(3):280-7. Maylor ME. Complications of adapting pressure ulcer risk assessment scales. British Journal of Nursing 2006;15(6):S26-31. Edwards JL, Pandit H, Popat MT. Perioperative analgesia: a factor in the development of heel pressure ulcers? British Journal of Nursing 2006;15(6):S20-5. Reynolds TM, Stokes A, Russell L. Assessment of a prognostic biochemical indicator of nutrition and inflammation for identification of pressure ulcer risk. Journal of Clinical Pathology 2006;59(3):308-10. Giesbrecht E. Pressure ulcers and occupational therapy practice: a Canadian perspective. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy - Revue Canadienne d Ergotherapie 2006;73(1):56-63. Courtney BA, Ruppman JB, Cooper HM. Save our skin: initiative cuts pressure ulcer incidence in half. Nursing Management 2006;37(4):36. Duimel-Peeters IG, Hulsenboom MA, Berger MP, Snoeckx LH, Halfens RJ. Massage to prevent pressure ulcers: knowledge, beliefs and practice. A cross-sectional study among nurses in the Netherlands in 1991 and 2003. Journal of Clinical Nursing 2006;15(4):428-35. Karadag M, Gumuskaya N. The incidence of pressure ulcers in surgical patients: a sample hospital in Turkey. Journal of Clinical Nursing 2006;15(4):413-21. Ryan JM. Teamwork keeps the pressure off: the role of the occupational therapist in the prevention of pressure ulcers. Home Healthcare Nurse 2006;24(2):97-102. Lee SK, Posthauer ME, Dorner B, Redovian V, Maloney MJ. Pressure ulcer healing with a concentrated, fortified, collagen protein hydrolysate supplement: a randomized controlled trial. Advances in Skin & Wound Care 2006;19(2):92-6. Demiot C, Fromy B, Saumet JL, Sigaudo-Roussel D. Preservation of pressure-induced cutaneous vasodilation by limiting oxidative stress in short-term diabetic mice. Cardiovascular Research 2006;69(1):245-52. Lepisto M, Eriksson E, Hietanen H, Lepisto J, Lauri S. Developing a pressure ulcer risk assessment scale for patients in long-term care. Ostomy Wound Management 2006;52(2):34-46. Lahmann NA, Halfens RJ, Dassen T. Pressure ulcers in German nursing homes and acute care hospitals: prevalence, frequency, and ulcer characteristics. Ostomy Wound Management 2006;52(2):20-33. Mason S, Barrow H, Phillips A, Eddison G, Nelson A, Cullum N, et al. Brief report on the experience of using proxy consent for incapacitated adults. Journal of Medical Ethics 2006;32(1):61-2. Kottner J, Mertens E, Dassen T. [Decubitus ulcer prevalence in Germany: new data, new knowledge]. Pflege Zeitschrift 2006;59(1):30-3.   Download this newsletter in PDF format